On the Coat Tales of a Gambler
I discovered a podcast online about Robstown’s shadow gangsters. You probably wonder how I have the time. Two reasons are that I wake up early and I am retired. Thanks to my research, the information I published in previous episodes about gangsters in Robstown was not news, just confirmation. What turned out to be news was our principal character, Scarpone Ladrón, is mentioned in the pod cast by a known member of the Dixie Mafia. The same man who wrote letters to Alice Canfield’s aunt, Jackie Knight, Little Larry Eagan.
The podcast highlighted a bank robbery that took place in the mid-seventies in a town not far from Robstown in 1975. The story involves the police and three gangsters who allegedly rob the bank. The narrator tells a lengthy story which leads to the robbery and the whereabouts of the suspects but stops short to ask a leading question. Why didn’t the police act when they knew where the potential robbery suspects were hiding? The narrator continued with deepening suspense saying, “If we want the answer, we need to go to the source, someone who was there at the time. Someone with firsthand knowledge of the events, and that person is Little Eagan.”
What? Little Eagan, did I hear that right? I played back the recording several times, listening carefully, to hear the name spoken by the narrator. Yes, he did say Little Eagan, Larry Egan, the man whose name appeared in an email from Sailor’s granddaughter in Episode 29. She recalled how her aunt, Jackie Knight, a member of the Dixie Mafia, used to receive mail from Little Eagan, when he was serving time. “I still remember her getting letters in the mail from “Little Eagan”, Larry Eagan, when he was in prison.”
The story continued, with the narrator saying, “But we will have to contact Larry where he is currently living, in the state prison.” In a recorded and rather distorted phone call, Little Eagan begins telling his story with details, collaborating with what the narrator had introduced, about the names and events which led up to the bank robbery. He filled in gaps, naming the robbers, the bank, and the town where the robbery took place. He also knew where robbers were hiding out, because it was in his farmhouse outside of Robstown.
The police also knew of the suspects and that they were known associates of Little Eagan. However, the police were unwilling to just walk up and knock on the door. The cops called out asking Little Eagan, to come outside and talk. However, Little Eagan was not in the house. He was in fact with some other cops he had been motorcycling with that day and was in the middle of selling his 750cc Norton to one of the cops. Little Eagan provided the reasons why the cops didn’t want to come up to his house. Eagan explained that he owned professionally trained attack Dobermans. The dogs were specifically trained to attack a man in a police uniform. (The other reason surprised me.) Besides the three guys who pulled the bank job, there was another man inside of Little Eagan’s house. The man had a reputation of being one the deadliest and dangerous gangsters in the south and also was a known member of the Dixie Mafia. The fourth man was nonother than Scarpone Ladrón. Eagan confirmed in the telephone interview that Scarpone had nothing to do with the bank robbery.
Essentially, Little Eagan places Scarpone in Robstown, in the late summer of 1975 years after Scarpone’s first trial and the State Supreme Cort appeal with the judgment reversed and remanded. Scarpone appears to have avoided a retrial, and jail. Seemingly, he was living his life a free man, still on the knife’s edge, associating with criminals. Maybe the police appeared to be cautious, because of Scarpone’s reputation, or they simply didn’t have any reason to be involved in Scarpone’s whereabouts. In other words, since Scarpone was not a suspect for the robbery, maybe the cops didn’t have warrants for his arrest. This is speculation, but did he also have paid protection courtesy of the Dixie Mafia? Sailor made it clear that the Robstown authorities were paid off by those running illicit gambling.
During the podcast, the narrator revealed that gangster activities were conducted behind the scenes in Robstown, ignored by the press and unknown to the community at large. The narrator ignored Little Eagan’s mention of Scarpone, as a notorious gangster and gambler. Instead, he maintained his focus on the rest of the Little Eagan’s telephone interview. His focus was on the events and men associated with the bank robbery. The podcast told the story of bank robbers and their connection with others who were considered to be part of the Dixie Mafia network, which included Little Eagan as well as prominent citizens of Robstown.
In Robstown, a lot of things happened that were ignored by law enforcement at the time of the murders of the Robstown sheriff and his son. Of particular notation, in the podcast, two upstanding business partners were exposed for criminal activity. One partner was sentenced for a long time, and the other partner, while being held in minimum security, mysteriously disappears one night, and his body was found three days later at the city dump, killed execution style. There was no investigation, and the popular opinion had two probable versions. One version had the “bad cops” involved and the more likely account blamed the Dixie Mafia, tying off loose ends. What would seem to be a scandal of great proportions was scarcely reported by the local paper.
Taking liberty with speculation, it seems as though Little Egan’s mention of Scarpone’s apparent freedom might indicate that it was unlikely Scarpone served any time for the killing of George Blackwell. In addition, it appears that Scarpone had not changed his sphere of influence. Knowing that Little Eagan was a member of the Dixie Mafia does not confirm Scarpone’s affiliation. Nevertheless, it seems to be consistent with Sailor’s granddaughter’s story about her aunt and Scarpone being in the Dixie Mafia. Recall that she stated that her aunt was the witness protection program for testifying against the Dixie Mafia, and she suggested that perhaps Scarpone somehow ended up in the same program.
Discovering bits of information on the Internet is like finding a rat in the barn. If there is one out there, there’s bound to be more. I am still on the coattails of this gambler who Sailor knew when he was a young man. If there is more to the story, I intend to find it. But don’t hold your breath. The narrator in the podcast made it clear that stacks of warrants never were investigated or brought before a judge. The district attorney simply ignored the warrants, not taking any action. Additionally, the local media did not report a lot of the illicit activity at the time, providing cover for the legal authorities’ lack of action, was implied.
I can state that once I found the short newspaper article of Scarpone’s arrest for the killing of Geoge Blackwell, I found two more pieces of news regarding the proceedings of the trial which was supposed to go the jury the next day. (Episode 26) However, I never discovered the verdict. It was as if the newspaper dropped the story. That piece of information was provided with my introduction to Sailor’s granddaughter, when she gave me the court proceedings for Scarpone’s appeal, to the state supreme court, appealing his conviction of manslaughter and sentencing to fifteen years in prison for the killing of George Blackwell. (Episode 30) Note, it was the actual court proceedings of the appeal, not something the granddaughter found mentioned in a newspaper clipping.
Author’s note: I sent an email to the podcast host asking if he had any information about Scarpone Ladrón, or John Ladrón. I did not receive the curtesy of a reply.
Summarizing
There is a quiet satisfaction in unraveling stories from the shadows, peeling back layers to reveal hidden truths. Such is the nature of my journey—a retired man with curiosity, unearthing tales that linger outside the light. Early mornings and persistence have been my allies as I explore Robstown’s shadow gangsters. What began as curiosity has become a revelation, centered on one figure: Scarpone Ladrón.
A podcast recently revealed a forgotten era, bringing whispers of a mid-seventies bank robbery. The narrator’s voice carried the cadence of a storyteller. He posed a question that hung in the air: why didn’t the police act when they knew where the robbery suspects were hiding? To answer, the narrator led us deeper into the story, introducing a character named Little Eagan—a name mentioned in Episode 29, through an email from Sailor’s granddaughter. Her memories, tied to her aunt Jackie Knight, a Dixie Mafia member, painted Little Eagan as a correspondent from prison.
The podcast revealed details, from farmhouse hideouts to a distorted phone call with Little Eagan. In his own words, he described names, places, and the events leading to the robbery. As I listened, the layers unfolded: police hesitations, trained attack Dobermans, and a cast of characters with reputations that preceded them. Chief among them was Scarpone Ladrón—a figure marked by infamy.
Scarpone’s story lies not just in his associations but in the broader context of his life. The late summer of 1975 finds him surrounded by speculation, his life teetering on the edge of legality. Little Eagan’s recounting places Scarpone in Robstown, untouched by accusations or suspicion. What protected him? What connections made him untouchable? The narrative raises questions, presenting Scarpone as more than a character—an enigma.
The Dixie Mafia’s influence stretches across these tales, seen in the silence of law enforcement, whispers of protection, and the mysterious deaths of those who crossed their paths. The podcast unfolds this world carefully, each thread connecting to an intricate pattern. Business partners disappeared, sheriff murders were unsolved, and Scarpone’s freedom endured, reflecting the murky waters in which he lived.
But there’s more here, compelling me to follow the gambler’s trail. It’s not just the facts but the energy of it all—a reminder that stories are alive, waiting to be uncovered. Like the teachings I learned from Stuart Wilde, this journey carries lessons of alignment, perception, and trust in unseen forces. Each piece of evidence, each connection, is a breadcrumb, urging me to follow with faith and curiosity.
Discovering Scarpone’s arrest for the killing of George Blackwell was one breadcrumb. Finding two more reports about the trial proceedings—and the absence of a verdict—felt like a door left ajar. Sailor’s granddaughter provided the court proceedings for Scarpone’s appeal, revealing another layer of complexity. It’s a dance between what is known and what is intuited.
This narrative—my narrative—is a testament to the idea that life is not just what unfolds but what we choose to see. Like Stuart Wilde’s teachings, it’s about trusting the process, following the threads, and recognizing that every discovery is part of a grander design.
On the Coat Tales of a Gambler Continues in
Episode 32 – Sailor’s Last Story